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Scientists in Florida have detected the largest seaweed bloom in the world

27 points by primroot 7y ago

tgsovlerkhgsel 7y ago
I would assume that the seaweed collects CO2 to grow. Can we harvest and burn it for fuel? Or feed it to something that is willing to eat it, like cattle? Or sink it to the bottom of the ocean in a way that will keep the CO2 sequestered?
- the-dude 7y ago
  I am not going to look it up, but have read a couple of times we should feed it to cows. Apparently it lowers their methane output.
- ph0rque 7y ago
  You can use it as high-quality compost: https://ashs.org/news/news.asp?id=403565 https://ashs.org/news/news.asp?id=403565 Sounds like a startup opportunity to me!
reubenmorais 7y ago
Every sane country in the world should be threatening or applying sanctions on Brazil for our insane decisions concerning the Amazon and the potential impact on the whole planet. If the authors are right and this is due to unrestrained exploration in the Amazonas basin, this is not going to change until Bolsonaro is either forced to stop or leaves office.
- pochamago 7y ago
  Countries that deeply care should buy up the land themselves and declare it off limits. They can pay property taxes to make up for the huge amount of economic stagnation they want to force on Brazil
  - NeedMoreTea 7y ago
    I do wonder how that would work in practice, though it sounds OK superficially. Let's say there were countries with a carbon tax were to devote some portion to buying up swathes of forest land. How long before there's outrage in Brazil that 40% of the Amazon is owned by foreign governments?
    - stubish 7y ago
      Nobody cares who owns land being kept in pristine state except those who want to exploit it. If anything, they get thanked and given awards, and we call it philanthropy (even if it is often self serving). People only get outraged when resources are being exploited, and worse when resources are being exploited and the benefits going somewhere seen as undeserving.
      - NeedMoreTea 7y ago
        Depends - if you restrict access, or fence things off I could see a point where it's resented. If you don't restrict access, you no doubt get illegal logging. Oh and it's just the sort of thing Brazil's equivalent of the Daily Mail would love to generate political outrage over - for the benefit of those who'd like to exploit it such as the wealthy media owner. :)
- PranLaksowil 7y ago
  This process started years before the current leadership was voted in. If you want to blame someone look at the socialists that were running the show one of whom is now in prison. Edit added the prison part
tomatotomato37 7y ago
I remember seeing something about how a last resort action against climate change would be to seed massive amounts of fertilizer across the ocean to cause a super alage bloom (and fuck everything else living in the ocean). I wonder if this fertilizer abuse may end up saving us from (one) global disaster after all.

27 points by primroot 7y ago

I would assume that the seaweed collects CO2 to grow. Can we harvest and burn it for fuel? Or feed it to something that is willing to eat it, like cattle? Or sink it to the bottom of the ocean in a way that will keep the CO2 sequestered?

the-dude 7y ago
I am not going to look it up, but have read a couple of times we should feed it to cows. Apparently it lowers their methane output.
ph0rque 7y ago
You can use it as high-quality compost: https://ashs.org/news/news.asp?id=403565 https://ashs.org/news/news.asp?id=403565 Sounds like a startup opportunity to me!

reubenmorais 7y ago

Every sane country in the world should be threatening or applying sanctions on Brazil for our insane decisions concerning the Amazon and the potential impact on the whole planet. If the authors are right and this is due to unrestrained exploration in the Amazonas basin, this is not going to change until Bolsonaro is either forced to stop or leaves office.

pochamago 7y ago
Countries that deeply care should buy up the land themselves and declare it off limits. They can pay property taxes to make up for the huge amount of economic stagnation they want to force on Brazil
- NeedMoreTea 7y ago
  I do wonder how that would work in practice, though it sounds OK superficially. Let's say there were countries with a carbon tax were to devote some portion to buying up swathes of forest land. How long before there's outrage in Brazil that 40% of the Amazon is owned by foreign governments?
  - stubish 7y ago
    Nobody cares who owns land being kept in pristine state except those who want to exploit it. If anything, they get thanked and given awards, and we call it philanthropy (even if it is often self serving). People only get outraged when resources are being exploited, and worse when resources are being exploited and the benefits going somewhere seen as undeserving.
    - NeedMoreTea 7y ago
      Depends - if you restrict access, or fence things off I could see a point where it's resented. If you don't restrict access, you no doubt get illegal logging. Oh and it's just the sort of thing Brazil's equivalent of the Daily Mail would love to generate political outrage over - for the benefit of those who'd like to exploit it such as the wealthy media owner. :)
PranLaksowil 7y ago
This process started years before the current leadership was voted in. If you want to blame someone look at the socialists that were running the show one of whom is now in prison. Edit added the prison part

tomatotomato37 7y ago

I remember seeing something about how a last resort action against climate change would be to seed massive amounts of fertilizer across the ocean to cause a super alage bloom (and fuck everything else living in the ocean). I wonder if this fertilizer abuse may end up saving us from (one) global disaster after all.